Sourdough Bread Starter

I'm including this under the gluten free section, because it is possible to make it for "gluten sensitive" people that can tolerate spelt.

The starter is simple!

Take a glass bowl with a tight fitting lid and mix together:
2 cups lukewarm milk
2 cups flour of choice (I started with unbleached organic white)
2 1/2 tsp (one pkg.) yeast

Mix this with an electric (even hand held!) mixer on the lowest setteing. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free location for 4-7 days, gently stirring it once a day.

And that's it!

At the end of this time period, when it is good and bubbly and has a good "sour" smell to it, use a minimum of one cup and "feed" the rest of the starter. Then place it in the refrigerator.

How to "feed" your starter??

Mix together the starter (always using a NON-metal utensil!). The liquid has probably separated, so mix it all back in. Remove 1 cup of the starter for your recipe. Then add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water to the starter. Stir this in well and let sit one day at room temperature. Then refrigerate until ready to use.

If at any time you don't want to use 1 cup of the starter at least once a week, just take out 1 cup, dispose of it and feed like usual. Also, if you're ever going on vacation or can't be home to use the starter within one week's time, you can freeze it, then thaw it out when you return home and proceed as usual.

Then only time your starter may have "gone wrong" and need to be disposed is if it changes color...like purple.

**As I said, I started with unbleached organic white flour. But I've always fed it with spelt. In just a few weeks time, you can convert your starter just by switching the flour you use for feeding.**

Another disclaimer- I have never left my starter sitting out for 1 day after feeding. I've always put it straight back into the refrigerator and I've never had difficulty with using it.

I'll enter recipes as I use the starter. Sourdough tastes great and is excellent for your digestive health. Enjoy!